Bottom dump pneumatic material handling system
AssigneeQuickthree Technology, LLC
InventorsAlvin Herman, Erin Herman, William John Young
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A material (e.g., proppant) handling system includes a storage container, a mechanical conveyor system, and a pneumatic conveyor system. The mechanical conveyor system is configured to convey material from an unloading station to a conveyor system discharge and into an inlet of the storage container (e.g., at an elevation that is higher than the unloading station). The pneumatic delivery system is configured to deliver material from the storage container to an off-system destination (e.g., a silo or the like), pneumatically. In a typical implementation, the storage container, the mechanical conveyor system, and the pneumatic conveyor system are all on, or connected to, or supported by one common chassis.
Claims52
A material handling system comprising:
- a chassis;
- a storage container supported by the chassis;
- a conveyor system supported by the chassis and configured to convey a material from a material unloading station to a conveyor system discharge that is above an inlet of the storage container at an elevation that is higher than the material unloading station;
- and
- a pneumatic delivery system supported by the chassis and configured to deliver the material from the storage container pneumatically;
- a housing for the mechanical conveyor system, wherein the housing defines an opening at the material unloading station through which the material can be loaded into the mechanical conveyor system;
- a dust collector coupled to the housing for the mechanical conveyor system or to the storage container, wherein the dust collector is configured to draw air and dust out of housing for the mechanical conveyor system or from the storage container.
A method comprising:
- providing a material handling system at a worksite that has one or more material holding containers, wherein the material handling system comprises:
- a chassis;
- a storage container supported by the chassis;
- material from a material unloading station to a conveyor system discharge that is above an inlet of the storage container at an elevation that is higher than the material unloading station;
- and
- a pneumatic delivery system supported by the chassis and configured to deliver the material from the storage container pneumatically;
- and
- with the material handling system at the worksite:
- receiving material at the material unloading station of the material handling system;
- conveying, with the conveyor system, the material from the material unloading station to the inlet of the storage container;
- and
- delivering the material from the storage container, pneumatically, with a pneumatic delivery system supported by the chassis.
A material handling system comprising:
- a chassis;
- a storage container supported by the chassis, wherein the storage container has a bottom discharge;
- a conveyor system supported by the chassis and configured to convey a material from a material unloading station to a conveyor system discharge that is above an inlet of the storage container at an elevation that is higher than the material unloading station;
- a pneumatic delivery system supported by the chassis and configured to deliver the material from the storage container pneumatically;
- and
- an air lock coupled to the bottom discharge and to the pneumatic delivery system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.